Scattered Anecdotes
by Lyre Since
Summary: They met, had the same boisterous ego, through a challenge. Carve a scar on each heart and mended it again. They start from an ending of the beginning, but that's not how they describe something between them. It's small, private, not so quiet, sometimes bent, but it's always home. [drabbles of their disordered chronology]
1. Ch 01

Kuroko no Basket © Fujimaki Tadatoshi

 **.**

* * *

 **.**

Their first date was boring.

It was like hanging out with Kuroko and Kise except without the two of them. It's like when Kagami's dad gave him his monthly allowance, on the first few days they'd use it, in the name of celebration, in an excuse to eat freely.

The agenda was no better, movies, arcade, mall, shopping district, Ikebukuro, Shibuya, Akihabara, and that weird maid café that Daiki liked. Their first date, was predictable. They went to the maid café and a movie. Aomine never felt himself more… bored. Or sad. Maybe he just expected too much.

Kagami was more focus on buying cleaning supplies, they chatted about everything and nothing, when they were sitting on a bench, Kagami was checking the new napkin he bought, Daiki heard a few chatter from a couple a few feet from them. It was autumn, they were plastered like the park was their room, the boy saying sweet nothings while the girl giggled. Huh, why didn't they do that?

"Oh, can't believe Murasakibara burn my napkin," Kagami said as he put the napkin back.

Aomine snorted, like he always did, slouched on the bench. "Well you should watch him, that guy's kind of destructive don't you think?"

Kagami smiled and leaned back, "yeah, after this we should try that omurice in that maid café."

Aomine was trying to find the right sweet nothing, but none came, so he only smirked. "I thought you said it was expensive there."

Kagami frowned, "we're on a date, aho. We should be spending it on something like that."

Daiki's smirk fell, to a flat almost deadpanned expression, "tell me," he started, "what's the difference between dates and hanging out?"

It was predicted that Kagami would look surprised, he frowned offensively, "you don't enjoy this?"

Daiki knew it was a wrong way to put it, but he didn't have the style to say a 'no-no-no! It's not that, babe!' so he just patted the boy beside him, "no, it's fun. Like it always does with you—"he gave Kagami a serious expression, "—but I never thought we already did the same thing before."

Kagami blinked, then frowned trying to argue because to Daiki he must still be in the paradigm of 'dates, especially first date, should be remarkable, what new official couple should do'. But he gradually shut his mouth, didn't find a comeback. "…Aren't we a couple now?"

Daiki found the confused face endearing and he crept his face close, "yeah, but we're not a regular couple, anyway." And it's true.

So many explanations could be made, telling them they are not like any couple, not fit to that kind of lifestyle but Daiki didn't want to spoil it, he just felt Kagami should stop thinking they could be one. Kagami was quiet as the gears in his head was working and he sighed, "guess so." He looked down at the napkin, the prove of it all.

Daiki nudged Taiga's shoulder, because he was still wasn't use to go public, and smiled softly, "you know, we don't have to have a fine first date." He made Taiga looked at him with a raised eyebrow, like the times whenever Kuroko and Momoi were silently astonished.

"Since when are you wise?" Kagami snorted.

Daiki would usually slap the back of his neck, would feel slightly insulted and so he insulted back, but he was feeling romantic, "since you beat me, I guess?"

Kagami scrunched his nose in slight disgust, his cheeks tinting red but he hurriedly averted his gave. "Tch, whatever," and muttered about 'cheeky bastard', earning a smack. But at least Kagami smiled, and it made Aomine smiled. It made him warm and fuzzy again and who cares if it didn't feel like a remarkable date, they never coveted perfectionism, they were perfect as they were flawed and never follow the common.

.


	2. Ch 02

**.**

Taiga gained weight and Daiki could feel it.

On the parts under his navel, his shoulders, both his butt cheeks and with a new double chin. Kagami didn't notice because it was not something that changed abruptly as fast as this. It might cause by the lack of basketball, the lack of burnt building, and the spate of celebrations—Kagami's birthday, their anniversary, Kagami's dad came to Japan and the Generation of Miracles' reunion. It might be visible if Daiki's birthday came and by the end of August, Kagami became a mother.

Taiga was sprawled under him, flushed and dazed. Daiki was still wearing his dress shirt, not bothering changing so he smelled like car smoke and sweat, and last bits of perfume. At least Taiga didn't mind even though he smelled like spices and a bit of soap. Their crotches were plastered, but Taiga wasn't hard, only Aomine did. He was moving Taiga's legs—huh, heavy?—and felt the buns on his thigh more… full. The pillow under Taiga's head made him in a half nod position, showing his new chin. He might still tease the part under his navel because every inch of Taiga was _pinch-able_.

He wouldn't tell directly because he didn't mind, thinking with few rounds of basketball would fix it. But then being a police was way busier at night, he'd be more tired after he went back from work. He gradually let it go until a week and when it's Monday again, he told him through discreet messages.

.

* * *

.

The sticky note was what made Kagami stop from wearing his boots, Aomine already went out because he said he had to run a few errands. It said, ' _we should eat more vegetables than meat and carb'._

He rose his eyebrow, thought he already bought grocery yesterday? Did Aomine want hot pot tonight? So Kagami searched for his wallet on his bag and found that he had money for that. Sure, why not.

.

* * *

.

They made hot pot and it's delicious and it was too much.

Aomine actually widens his eyes and backed his head unbelievably because it's like the giant hot pot for family dinner, with a parent, five noisy kids, and a grandma because _wow._ "Are we having guesses?"

Kagami was preparing their drink, he made ocha and he finally came with a tray of a teapot and two cups, their small coffee table was full now. "Eh… no?"

Aomine shouldn't be surprised but he already had the thought he should create Kagami's diet, so he internally cringed. "Well, aren't this too much?"

Kagami frowned as he settled their chopsticks, "what do you mean? We always eat with this amount."

Eh, it's true. Daiki should be more specific, then. "Eh, yeah, but… you know." He wasn't used to this, giving advice without making it seemed offensive.

"I know… what?" Kagami was already dividing his chopstick, now he looked wary and Daiki subconsciously leaned back. He at least tried to keep their eye contact.

"You should reduce the amount of it…?" he said carefully, seeing Kagami's cheeks also looked chubbier. Kagami's eyebrows scrunched because Daiki never asked that. He always asked something unintelligible like, 'are you a black hole?' or 'where did all that went? No, wait, must be that fine ass.' or 'isn't that inhuman?'

"Why…?" Kagami settled his chopsticks, feeling awry.

Daiki divided his chopsticks, didn't explain but putting mushrooms on Kagami's bowl, bad tactic. "Well, here." He settled, "I think you need this more."

Kagami looked down, no meat, what's the meaning of this? "Aomine…" he started, a frown darkened his expression, "are you saying I'm fat?"

Daiki physically cringed, yelling an indignant "No! Why would I said that?!" which sounded completely hypocritical and Kagami's expression darkened.

"You can say it, you know!"

Aomine only managed to open his mouth but didn't know how to explain and Kagami, feeling embarrassed, actually reduced his amount and eat the small vegetable. Daiki knew he did what he asked but somehow something wasn't settling. "You can have more but just not too much."

Kagami's cheeks were red, "I don't need it." He looked out of place and Daiki chose to shut up, continue picking his vegetables and meat and their awkward dinner.

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* * *

."I… did gain weight," Kagami muttered to his reflection in the mirror, Aomine was watching TV after their dinner. He should go back to the kitchen to finish the dish because it's his turn, didn't want Aomine thinking he was checking himself.

"I… did gain weight," Kagami muttered to his reflection in the mirror, Aomine was watching TV after their dinner. He should go back to the kitchen to finish the dish because it's his turn, didn't want Aomine thinking he was checking himself.

He walked back, and as the smell of the rest of the hot pot wafting, he scowled because he could feel his saliva pooling. He gulped, overly conscious that Aomine would hear, and proceed to clean. It was when he scrubbed a bowl with a sponge that invading hands captured his stomach. He yelped, the slippery plate fell from his hand, shattered to pieces.

Aomine was about to laugh but the piercing sound shut him up, now leave with awkward silence as Aomine's hands now dropped to his side. "Um…"

Kagami glared daggers, Aomine hurriedly tensed, one time he was scared of his rival. Aomine opened his mouth, "Sorry." Kagami was, predictably, going to start ranting and sending insults, but Aomine _pinched_ his lips— _how dare he?!_ —and started, "I forgot you were doing the dishes, okay?—don't move. You'll step on it—and I know what you are thinking, Kagami!" Kagami only narrowed his eyes, still glaring murderous signals, "you are thinking I don't like it when you weighed—"

Kagami took Aomine's hand away from his lips, making 'pueh' sound, so Aomine continued before the Nag arrive, "—but you are wrong. I don't think it's bad, I kind of think it's cute—"

"Well, you could've told me!"

"—I'm not good with that shit!" he frowned, Kagami's hand lowered—damn, he crushed his wrist—and Aomine continued gently, "I'm just trying to keep you stay in shape, even though any shape you have doesn't matter, but you still play and it's kind of like you need to play more."

Kagami softens his expression, but he raised a brow and asked cynically, "Even if I gained two hundred more pounds…?"

"You'll lose to me in general, you know!"

Kagami scoffed silently. But he finally nodded and walked away from Daiki, there was a slight red on his cheeks and Daiki tried not to dance a victory dance because Kagami didn't argue, "move!" Kagami said and he pushed Daiki away, made Daiki smirked at his childishness. Kagami took a broom and a dustpan. Aomine thought he'd crouched but he handed it to Aomine instead, earning an 'eeh…?'

"You deserve it, asshole!" he said, "almost giving me a heart attack." He muttered, went back to cleaning the dishes.

Aomine sighed, obeyed his lover's demand. He crouched and didn't grumble this time, batting Kagami's legs softly to prevent his feet from stepping a shred. He deserved it, couldn't keep his hands to himself. Like right now, because Kagami's bum looked hella' fine from down there.

"Ack-! AHOMINE…!"

.

* * *

Note: brb to fix Excelsior from all over again, cuz yeah I'm that maso who can't secure my timetable.

.

Have a cup of tea instead.


	3. Ch 03

.

Inside Daiki's heart, was a child sitting there.

The analogy was a bit unsettling, but Taiga found it accurate enough to describe every time Daiki did a remarkable job at being discreetly care. This might be how he fell in love with him. Kuroko said to him that Daiki had changed since the end of middle school and high school Daiki—even from the hardship of what they did in Winter Cup which is trying to snap him out of his self-induced fantasy—had changed.

But Kagami knew that Kuroko still love Touou's Aomine Daiki and Momoi never had a second thought to leave him. But sometimes Kagami found that Daiki's effort was underrated.

It all started vaguely when they became basketball buddies, plaing three-on-three or one-on-one or just hanging out at Maji Burger. They became softer to each other, through constant shouting and constant insulting. But Daiki was attachable that he would choose his prey like a parasite on a tree trunk.

Through barging his apartment, demanding food, and paid by a one-on-one, they became attached to each other, and that's when Kagami saw the little child that they missed.

But he never went to Teikou, he never knew exactly what young Aomine was, so he shouldn't really guess. But sometimes Taiga understood, when there was once a chance you're somewhere over the top, then fell down and everybody expected you to go back because you _had_ been in that high position before. But expectation was never symmetrical with reality.

Simply, Taiga just wanted to say, 'put a slack on him'. But it was more of an inner turmoil, he's not exactly inside their circle, so he felt like he didn't have the chance to say it.

"I don't see it," he muttered when Daiki didn't look, when they would just sit on the sofa, Taiga scrolling through his timeline uncaringly and Daiki watching some Japanese game show. Daiki didn't say a thing even if he heard what he said. It made Kagami frustrated because maybe he didn't know exactly how Aomine was when he was fourteen. But he thought, does it matter? He could see something, like a way that he still accompany Kagami in his eccentric way.

"Hey Kagami." Daiki started, ruining Taiga's train of thought. "I'm gonna sleep here tonight if that's okay." His eyes still glue to the screen.

"What? Why?" it's okay if Kagami sounded irritated. It's a tradition. Kagami looked up from his phone.

Daiki settled the remote, his feet propped at the small glass coffee table. It's also a tradition. "No particular reason," he said looking bored. "Tomorrow's Sunday anyway."

Taiga was about to interject, but the argument was right, and the opposing team lose. "Fine."

"Oh, yeah," Daiki settle his feet down, propped his elbow on his knee and Taiga had to look at him because Daiki was looking in serious eyes with his serious stance, "make cake with me tomorrow."

Taiga's shoulder slumped, he thought it was something serious, "that's rare, I thought you didn't like sweets."

Daiki's eyes were avoiding him now and Taiga rose a brow, "just feel like it." He mumbled, and it made Taiga rolled his eyes.

"But I don't have the ingredients."

"I'll buy them, now."

" _You_ 'll buy them?" Taiga chuckled incredulously, "did you hit your head, Aomine?"

Aomine glared at him, it amused Taiga more and he really enjoyed for once he could tease him instead of the one who got bullied. "Fuck you, I just felt like it, okay?" he childishly try to retort, "Or are your baking skill sucked like your basketball skill?"

Taiga narrowed his eyes because ooh that was low, fucker, but he couldn't help getting riled up, Aomine's face looked so cocky it made his fist tingle, "Tch, I'll show you, bastard, I'll slap that cake to your face, alright." He grumbled as he stood up, still grumbling.

They bought their ingredients, when Aomine said he'll buy it, he did use all his money to buy the ingredients and even the frosting, Kagami apparently have all the tools and it somehow made Daiki excited even more. The things Aomine was excited about were so unpredictable.

When they came back to the apartment, they put their grocery on the kitchen counter and that's when Kagami saw it, a calendar that showed a date that he circled for today.

It read, _August 1st._

If they were together, he'd kiss him right now.

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	4. Ch 04

"There's a practice match with Seirin tomorrow."

There was a slight glee in her voice, as she loomed down to the sleeping figure, but the excitement was unbalanced as Aomine only grunted in response. She was unfazed and she continued, "I bet you're excited."

"Hmm…" the half-assed agreement should make most people lose their interest in continuing the conversation but Momoi was not most people to her Dai-chan. So, she smiled widely.

" _Hmm…_ indeed, Dai-chan. Kagamin was _definitely_ excited too."

She found silence for a second but then Aomine argued, "Yeah, yeah, Tetsu'll play too. These two'll be so fucking happy to beat my ass again," he rolled to the side, backing the girl, "but not anymore, I'm going to beat those two, bla bla… could you let me sleep already?"

Momoi held a sigh but only hummed approvingly, she turned to walk down the ladder, but not without saying, "my intuition said it's not _just_ because you'll play with them. That's okay, Dai-chan," her head dipped as she climbed down,

"It'll be a progress to your next move!"

Aomine shut his eyes tighter and gritted his teeth. He silently cursed his childhood friend, hearing a faint song as the door to the rooftop shut, " _Aho, baka, sitting in the tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G…"_

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* * *

.

Aomine tried to ignore the stare. The big pink stare that Satsuki gave on the bench of the indoor court, giving tingly feeling crawling on his back like a spider. Meanwhile in front of him, beaming and huffing his chest, Kagami strained both his ankles and resisted not to tip toe. He was trying to beat the stubborn 2 cm gap.

"Get ready to cry, asshole!" his voice gruff and his smile widened.

Aomine smirked because it's really funny how he noticed the little things Kagami did, trying pettily to rile him up and that height thing he did? so fucking cute. "Yeah, yeah, beginner's luck. That's what Winter Cup was. You can't even beat my height."

Kagami cracked his knuckles, his nose crinkled, "only a few inch! That's low, Aomine."

"What's low is where you're going to be giving me head for my victory."

Kagami eyes widened and he shouted, "wh-what the fuck! Not cool!" Aomine only smirked, but his neck prickled in wary, his vein rushing. He couldn't help the innuendo and somehow it became bolder by the time passed. He waited, for the penny to drop.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun. But the game is about to start," Aomine glanced at Kuroko, too close and looking with big judgy eyes even though Aomine knew he's exaggerating.

Kagami turned to smile again, his expression turned serious. "Yep, let's go," he walked pass Kuroko and Aomine watched his back. The acknowledgment, it made him relief and it reminded him why he became bolder to drop a hint.

As he ran to take his position, he saw Satsuki's hidden smile behind her clipboard, her eyes shone with glee. She must've heard them, darn.

.

* * *

.

 **End Score**

 **129 - 125**

 **Touou vs. Seirin**

 **Practice Match**

Aomine rubbed his philtrum with the collar of his jersey, he looked down at the yellow smooth wooden gym floor. He can feel his head pounded, his muscles buzzing through the rush of adrenaline, and his breathing ragged. His body sticking with sweat and heat and he really missed this. Playing back when before he lost in Winter Cup everything just felt stale and stagnant.

"Good game," he heard Wakamatsu talked to—predictably—the captain of Seirin. "Let's play again sometimes, you guys are pretty close now. Oh, and the training camp is still on, Seirin. We'll wait for ya."

Tsuchida Satoshi grinned and breathe heavily, "yeah, we'll win next time, don't worry."

Aomine turned to gather with his teammates. Found that Seirin had already lined, he found Kagami drenched with sweat and his face was cracking a smile. Their eyes met and Kagami sighed in content, his eyes burning holes at him. Aomine always found how very emotional Kagami's eyes were. Seirin lost but Kagami looked like he asked for a second round, spirit lit like the bouncy ball he was, asking for a comeback.

Aomine remembered his offer, somehow his mind hazed with perversion, the 'if'-s and 'maybe'-s played scenarios and he almost forgot Kagami was talking—"don't worry, bastard. We're going to win next time!"

Aomine scurried the thoughts away and smirked, "yeah, yeah, we've heard that before. In a couple of years, maybe."

Kuroko came, also breathing hard and sweaty, "Aomine-kun shouldn't worry, our score is getting closer and we're going to win next time."

Kagami widened his smile and slung an arm at Kuroko, ruffling his hair. Aomine felt a prickle of itch in his chest, a bit tight and he didn't want to explore it more—so he distracted himself, "I'm still up with that offer, Kagami."

He absentmindedly ran his fingers through his hair, watched as Kuroko's eyebrows shot up and biting his bottom lip amusedly. Kagami punched his shoulder lightly and somehow Aomine's mind halted to the feeling, distracted and it disturbed him. "Screw you, Aomine!"

Aomine rolled his eyes, showing disinterest, "don't act so buddy-buddy, Bakagami," he turned around and waved at the duo, "see ya, Tetsu. Show that you guys are really going to beat me in the training camp."

He walked back to his bench, feeling Satsuki's eyes trained on him and he felt even more conscious of his hammering heart. He focused on finding his bottle, or checking his phone, or rubbing his neck with his towel… he narrowed his eyes at Satsuki. When their eyes met, she smiled knowingly with that gleeful eyes and argh, he quickly darted away, he knew that look. They didn't need a verbal explanation. He knew, she knew, even _Tetsu_ knew.

He was smitten.


	5. Ch 05

It was in late summer evening when he snapped.

It was weeknight and finals week was over. Moreover, being third years made it even harder to spend time together.

Aomine was reading _Basketball Monthly_ —it was featuring him this time—and Kagami was watching _Wedding Dress_ in Japanese subtitle. They were sitting side by side on the carpet, thighs touched and hot drinks on the coffee table, they were propped against the settee and the apartment was silent save from the decent volume of the TV.

"You're wearing that face again," Aomine muttered, flipping the page slowly.

Kagami didn't say a word, too absorbed in the movie, didn't even realize Aomine had read the magazine three times. As minutes past, Kagami finally answered with a faint, "huh?"

Aomine put the magazine on the coffee table and grabbed his espresso, "you're wearing that face when you're watching this kind of movie. Do you want to watch something else?"

Kagami turned, giving him a confused look, and shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about but no, I don't want to change." He eyed the main character entered a room full of gowns.

Aomine watched as the main character argued over the dress she made. He tucked an arm and rubbed his thumb on Kagami's shoulder, "fine, just don't make that face. You got _me_ now."

Kagami chuckled slowly, finally realized what Daiki meant. His eyes glued to the screen and Daiki saw the conflicts in his eyes. He watched the drained energy and the almost apathy. "I know."

It was amazing how he found this new side of Kagami Taiga, the side that Taiga usually hid behind a steel wall. However, he was not the basketball machine that people seemed to think, always improving until he was, eventually, invincible.

And that's why between the routine of studying, training, eating, and sleeping, there was insecurity. It was what Daiki figured little by little through times they spent together.

What made Taiga a child.

(Through sleepless night where they would buzz in excitement and exhaustion before tomorrow's match—Kagami's case but Aomine often joined instead of putting Taiga to sleep—and they would _talk_ with little voices and between make out sessions.)

But this was now, a summer evening in an expensive apartment in Tokyo. _Not_ a whenever and somewhere in Los Angeles. Therefore, Aomine reminded him.

"Right. Good. _And_ …" Aomine grunted as he adjusted his seat, "When Christmas come, you're going to help my mom with making the feast and we're going to Ouchijuku, eating that soba using long onion utensil you're curious about."

Kagami laughed, wholeheartedly, "of course. You've said it thousands of time. It's still summer, though."

"…right."

They both became silent again. Aomine stirred his body to face his lover and Kagami looked deep in thoughts. He turned to Daiki,

"Why are we even talking about this?" it was out of pure curiosity.

Aomine gave a serious expression. His voice was steady when he sad: "I'm really glad that your dad's okay with us. My parent's okay too, we're cool. So, I guess, now you're my mom's kid now."

Kagami didn't say a word nor did he showed a reaction. Aomine continued, "The point is, you have us now. You have Satsuki and Testu and the bastards. Even _Akashi_ as long as he didn't hurt you again (and I make sure of that). That's why," Aomine sighed heavily, damn, why was he the one who's emotional?

"…Your mom'll be so happy to know that you've got a lot of people that took care of you."

Taiga's eyes widened and his lips parted. Impressed by his lover's rare spoken words. He sighed contently, "I…" he nodded down, "darn it, Aomine…" he whispered more to himself. "It's just that, sometimes—" Taiga felt soft burn climbed up to his nasal fossa, his mind rotated to a view of long burgundy hair and plump peach lips, "—I really miss her," of a yellow couch and slender hands patting an empty space next to a woman.

" _Taiga… come watch the movie with me."_

Aomine studied his face and when their eyes met, Taiga realized that Aomine was there, reachable. He washed the melancholy away, "you're right."

Aomine smiled pleasantly and laid his head on the settee, sprawled his arms and legs. Kagami scooted closer and laid his head on Aomine's bicep. They stayed quiet, running their own thoughts. Then, Aomine took out his phone.

"Right. Now let's watch that funny cat compilation you like."


End file.
